2023-12-11 18:15:07 ¶ ●

“You can’t reduce me to a set of influences. I’ve given up good and evil for behaviourism” seemed contradictory to me when I heard it first, yet I think I understand it now. This is Will justifying his action of killing Randall and his supposed murder of Freddie as they participate in cannibalism; dining on Randall’s meat. Will’s saying what he has done doesn’t fit within the context of morality; he doesn’t kill because he is evil. He has killed because he deemed it to be the appropriate reaction in his abnormal situation i.e., pretending to get on the same side of Hannibal and for this, he has found no choice but to murder Randall therefore he has abandoned the morality of it. Hannibal replies aptly: “Then you can’t say I’m evil” because Will cannot apply contradicting philosophies to two individuals who have exercised the same action. Still resisting, Will tells him, “You’re destructive - same thing.” Hannibal asks, “Evil is just destructive? Storms are evil; if it’s that simple. And we have fire. And then there’s hail. Underwriters lump it all under acts of god. Is this meal an act of god, Will?” I really love how convincing Hannibal is. He takes away the worry of morality. He’s saying its man-made. They’re forces of nature. Who is there to judge us, Will? Besides you. Then the final shot, of Hannibal and Will’s faces overlapping and merging together - they’ve committed the same sin. They’ve both killed, cooked and eaten another human being. I LOVE this scene. The affectionate, euphoric music, Hannibal’s gentle expressions. Him waiting to see how Will likes the food before taking a bite himself. Will’s mind melting and mellowing, still sharp around the edges. So lovely.